Gate valve and method of making the same

ABSTRACT

A gate valve body is formed from a U-shaped member wherein each leg and the bottom connecting portion of the U-shaped member have a substantially U-shaped cross-section. The arms of the U-shaped cross-section of each leg face each other. A filler plate having a concave bottom surface is extended across the front face of the U-shaped member downwardly from the free end of each leg and welded to a facing arm of each leg. A second similar filler plate is extended across the rear face of the U-shaped member and similarly welded. An attaching plate having a cut-out center portion is welded to the free ends of the legs of the U-shaped member and to the top surfaces of the filler plates. The bonnet portion of the valve is formed from a second U-shaped member wherein each leg and the upper connecting portion of the U-shaped member have a substantially U-shaped cross-section. The arms of the U-shaped cross-section of each leg face each other. A semi-circular filler plate is positioned across the front face of the member to fill the opening between the legs and is welded to a facing arm of each leg. A similar filler plate is welded similarly to the rear face of the member. A second attaching plate having a cut-out inner portion is welded to the free ends of the legs of the U-shaped member and to the bottom surfaces of the filler plates. A hole is provided in the center of the connecting portion of the U-shaped member.

United States Patent 1 Eikevik 1 Feb. 27, 1973 GATE VALVE AND METHOD OFMAKING THE SAME [76] Inventor: Arne Eikevik, 122 Washington Street,Merrick, L. 1., N.Y.

[22] Filed: Sept. 24, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 74,969

Primary Examiner-Arnold Rosenthal Attorney-Donald J. Perrella [57]ABSTRACT A gate valve body is formed from a U-shaped member wherein eachleg and the bottom connecting portion of the U-shaped member have asubstantially U- shaped cross-section. The arms of the U-shapedcrosssection of each leg face each other. A filler plate having aconcave bottom surface is extended across the front face of the U-shapedmember downwardly from the free end of each leg and welded to a facingarm of each leg. A second similar filler plate is extended across therear face of the U-shaped member and similarly welded. An attachingplate having a cut-out center portion is welded to the free ends of thelegs of the U-shaped member and to the top surfaces of the fillerplates.

The bonnet portion of the valve is formed from a second U-shaped memberwherein each leg and the upper connecting portion of the U-shaped memberhave a substantially U-shaped cross-section. The arms of the U-shapedcross-section of each leg face each other. A semi-circular filler plateis positioned across the front face of the member to fill the openingbetween the legs and is welded to a facing arm of each leg. A similarfiller plate is welded similarly to the rear face of the member. Asecond attaching plate having a cut-out inner portion is welded to thefree ends of the legs of the U-shaped member and to the bottom surfacesof the filler plates. A hole is provided in the center of the connectingportion of the U-shaped member.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEU F552? 1913 SHEET 1 u; 2

m m E m mwy GATE VALVE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME OBJECTS OF THEINVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide animproved gate valve. Another object is to provide a gate valve which canbe made of the same material as the pipeline to which it is connected.Still another object is to provide a gate valve which can bemanufactured easily and economically. Yet another object is to provide agate valve of uniform strength, improved reliability and reduced rate offailure in service. A further object is to provide a simplified methodfor fabricating a gate valve. These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Referring now to the drawing,

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view showing the manner of fabricationof a gate valve of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the assembled valve taken along the line2-2 of FIG. 1, and

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the number and location of weld seams in valvesaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The gate valve of the present invention is preparedby joining together a relatively few members which may be, andpreferably are, all formed of the same material.

The starting material is a U-shaped member (FIG. 1) which may have beenprepared in any suitable manner, for example by bending an appropriatelength of pipe into a U-shape and cutting the bent pipe in half (notshown as obvious) or by cutting a straight length of pipe in halffollowed by bending it into a U-shape (not shown as obvious). TheU-shaped member 10 has legs 11 and 12 and a bottom connecting portion13. In horizontal cross-section leg 11 has arms 14 and 15 and leg 12 hasarms 16 and 17. Arms 14 and 16 are on the front face of FIG. 10 whilearms 15 and 17 are on the rear face of FIG. 10. A filler plate 18 havinga flat top surface and a concave bottom surface is positioned across thefront face of member 10 extending downwardly from the free ends of legs11 and 12 and is welded to arm 14 of leg 11 and arm 16 of leg 12 asshown in FIG. 1. The weld seams a and b are shown in FIG. 3. The concavebottom surface of filler l8 and the bottom connecting portion of member10 form a substantially circular opening 19 adapted to receive aconduit. A second filler plate 20, similar to plate 18, is similarlypositioned along the rear face of member 10 and is welded to arms 15 and17. An attaching plate 21 (FIG. 1) having a cut-out center portion andprovided with a plurality of openings 22 adapted to receive joiningmembers, for example, bolts or rivets, is welded to the free ends oflegs 11 and 12 and to the tops of filler plates 18 and as shown in FIG.3. The weld seam c is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The bonnet of the gate valve is prepared similarly to the body from aU-shaped member (FIG. 1) which may have been prepared in any suitablemanner, for example as described above for member 10. Like 10, member 30has legs 31 and 32 and upper connecting portion 33. In cross-section leg31 has arm 34 on its front face and a second corresponding arm (notshown) on its rear face. Leg 32 has arm 35 on its front face and asecond corresponding arm (not shown) on its rear face. A semicircularfiller plate 36 is positioned across the front face of member 30 andwelded to arms 34 and 35. The weld seam f is shown in FIG. 3. A secondfiller plate (not shown), similar to plate 36, is similarly positionedalong the rear face of member 30 and welded to the arms on the rear faceof member 30. A second attaching plate 40 having a cut-out centerportion and provided with a plurality of openings 41 adapted to receivejoining members, for example bolts or rivets, is welded to the free endsof legs 31 and 32 and to the bottom of filler plate 36 and thecorresponding plate on the rear surface of member 30. The weld seam g isshown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The bonnet is then adapted for attachment to thebody by positioning plate 40 over plate 21 and inserting bolts or rivetsthrough registering openings 41 and 22.

A section of pipe 50 (FIG. 1) machined at an angle suitable for forminga seat for the gate, e.g. about 5, is inserted into opening 19 in thevalve body and welded to the valve body around the bottom of member 18and the bottom connecting portion 13 of member 10. The weld seam d isshown in FIGS. 3 and 4. A second section of pipe 51, the end of which isalso machined at an angle to form the other seat of the valve, isinserted in the corresponding opening (not shown) on the rear face ofthe valve and welded along the bottom surface of member 20 and thebottom connecting portion of the rear face of member 13. The weld seam eis shown in FIG. 4. Before pipe sections 50 and 51 are welded to thevalve body, the ends which have been cut at an angle are given anoverlay of metal (not shown as conventional). The type of metal used forthe overlay will depend on the intended application of the valve.Typical overlay metals are, for example, Monel, stainless steel, brassor Stellite. The free ends of sections 50 and 51 are joined to othersections of pipe by conventional means (not shown), for example, byflanges or by butt welding.

The foregoing describes the preparation of a gate valve body accordingto the present invention. Before the bonnet is attached to the body, ahole is cut in the center of the upper connecting portion 33 to permitattachment of valve stem, stuffing box and other conventional componentsof gate valves, these components not being shown inasmuch as they areconventional and therefore obvious.

What is claimed is:

l. A gate valve body formed of a weld-free substantially U-shaped memberhaving two legs and a connecting member joining the two legs, each legand the connecting member having a substantially semi-circularcross-section, the ends of the cross-sections of each leg facing eachother,

a flat filler plate having a concave bottom surface extending across thefront face of the substantially U- shaped member from the edge of oneleg to the edge of the opposite leg, the filler plate being welded tothe facing ends of each leg, second flat filler plate having a concavebottom surface extending across the rear face of the substantiallyU-shaped member from the edge of one leg to the edge of the oppositeleg, the filler plate being welded to the facing ends of each leg,

the arcuate lower portion of the filler plates and the connecting memberforming an opening on the front face and an opening on the rear face,each opening adapted to receive a conduit,

a pipe section welded in both the front and rear openings, the end ofeach pipe section being cut at an angle, the cut ends being convergingseats adapted to receive a wedge shaped valve member.

2. A gate valve having a body according to claim 1,

an attaching plate having a cut-out center portion welded to the freeends of the legs of the U-shaped member and to the top surfaces of thefiller plates.

3. A gate valve having a body according to claim 1 and a bonnet formedof a second substantially U- shaped member, each leg and the upperconnecting portion of the second U-shaped member having a substantiallysemi-circular cross-section, the ends of the cross-sections of each legfacing each other,

a filler plate extending across the front face of the second member andfilling the arcuate opening circumscribed by the legs and the upperconnecting portion of the second U-shaped member, and

a second filler plate extending across the rear face of the secondmember and filling the arcuate opening circumscribed by the legs and theupper connecting portion of the second U-shaped member.

1. A gate valve body formed of a weld-free substantially Ushaped memberhaving two legs and a connecting member joining the two legs, each legand the connecting member having a substantially semi-circularcross-section, the ends of the crosssections of each leg facing eachother, a flat filler plate having a concave bottom surface extendingacross the front face of the Substantially U-shaped member from the edgeof one leg to the edge of the opposite leg, the filler plate beingwelded to the facing ends of each leg, a second flat filler plate havinga concave bottom surface extending across the rear face of thesubstantially U-shaped member from the edge of one leg to the edge ofthe opposite leg, the filler plate being welded to the facing ends ofeach leg, the arcuate lower portion of the filler plates and theconnecting member forming an opening on the front face and an opening onthe rear face, each opening adapted to receive a conduit, a pipe sectionwelded in both the front and rear openings, the end of each pipe sectionbeing cut at an angle, the cut ends being converging seats adapted toreceive a wedge shaped valve member.
 2. A gate valve having a bodyaccording to claim 1, an attaching plate having a cut-out center portionwelded to the free ends of the legs of the U-shaped member and to thetop surfaces of the filler plates.
 3. A gate valve having a bodyaccording to claim 1 and a bonnet formed of a second substantiallyU-shaped member, each leg and the upper connecting portion of the secondU-shaped member having a substantially semi-circular cross-section, theends of the cross-sections of each leg facing each other, a filler plateextending across the front face of the second member and filling thearcuate opening circumscribed by the legs and the upper connectingportion of the second U-shaped member, and a second filler plateextending across the rear face of the second member and filling thearcuate opening circumscribed by the legs and the upper connectingportion of the second U-shaped member.